Mickelson: Good chat with prez, bad golf

Phill Mickelson checks to see of his ball is in bounds on the 10th hole during the first round of the Humana Challenge golf tournament at La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. His ball was ruled out. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
— AP

Phill Mickelson checks to see of his ball is in bounds on the 10th hole during the first round of the Humana Challenge golf tournament at La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. His ball was ruled out. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
/ AP

LA QUINTA  No matter who you are, you don’t walk out of the stands at Petco Park and chat with a Padres pitcher on the mound. You can’t join Philip Rivers in the Chargers huddle or ride alongside Jimmie Johnson in the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet.

But you can stroll up to Phil Mickelson in the middle of his first PGA Tour round of the new season. At least, if you’re a former president of the United States and your name is now emblazoned on the tournament.

Bill Clinton could have had better timing when he appeared on the 13th hole at La Quinta Country Club on Thursday afternoon to schmooze with two of the biggest names in the Humana Challenge field.

David Toms was focused and on a roll, having already made six birdies en route to a 9-under 63 that put him in a tie for the first-round lead with Camilo Villegas.

Mickelson was headed in the opposite direction to a 2-over 74. After shooting 3-under on the front, he double-bogeyed the 10th with a tee ball out of bounds, and he was trying to get back on track. Then Clinton showed up in a golf cart with a security detail in the middle of the par-5 13th's fairway.

After some kibitzing, including Mickelson inquiring about Clinton’s vegan diet, the San Diegan blew his next shot well right of the green. Clinton followed the group up, posed for some pictures with Mickelson, who saved par, and then the first-year host of the Humana Challenge was gone.

He wasn’t around to see Mickelson slice another tee shot out of bounds at No. 14, where he would eventually make triple-bogey 7 and all but knock himself out of contention with 58 holes left to play.

On a beautiful, calm day in which 30 players shot 67 or better, Mickelson was tied for 134th in a field of 144.

Was the four-time major champ rattled at all by the president’s presence?

“Oh no, no,” Mickelson said. “It’s nice to have him out here. It’s an honor.”

Toms admitted he had to make himself concentrate more with Clinton watching.

“You can get distracted,” Toms said. “I took my time on each shot. You have to stay focused. We’d just had an interesting conversation.”

Toms said Mickelson asked about the vegan diet. Clinton responded by saying that it wasn’t for everyone, and Toms agreed. “Not living in Louisiana,” he said with a chuckle, “the food’s too good.”

Mickelson was all smiles after his round, saying, “I’ve been playing so well heading in that I’m not going to let one round affect my outlook.”

But he had to be more than a bit frustrated. He said he had been swinging the driver well at home and was extremely happy with the work he’d done in the off-season on his putting. But the driver got loose at the two inopportune times, and the Odyssey blade putter that Mickelson is using wasn’t sharp after he experimented with a long putter late last season. He needed 33 putts Thursday following a year in which rolling the ball was among his biggest weaknesses.

Mickelson insists he feels better with the putter than he has in two years. “The big difference for me is that for the last couple of years I’ve been trying to work on mechanics and fundamentals to get the ball started on line,” he said. “It’s never allowed me the opportunity to get out into the putt … trying to match up the speed with the line. I feel like I’ve passed that.”

More long putters

Villegas, who has switched to a belly putter, made nine birdies on the PGA West Nicklaus Private Course to shoot 63 after a feast-or-famine 2011 in which he had four top-10s, but missed 10 cuts.

Torrey Pines High alum Pat Perez also is using a long putter for the first time and fired a 5-under 67 at La Quinta.

“It’s been really good,” said the Perez, the 2009 Bob Hope champion. “I said, ‘I can’t putt any worse.’ I love the fact that it’s always in the center and I’ve always got the same setup. It made me change my setup. My arms and my body all look right. I have a feeling that I can make them all.”

Locals watch

Jamie Lovemark (Torrey Pines), who hadn’t played a competitive round since late March because of back surgery, shot 4-under 68 at La Quinta. The others with local ties: John Mallinger (67), Charley Hoffman (70), Scott Piercy (70), Bill Lunde (71), J.J. Killeen (73).